The people of Morant Bay see the development of its youth as paramount to the community's growth.

Children from various schools across the parish pass through the capital, whether for recreation or to use the parish library, and they will need the best facilities and programmes to develop into citizens who contribute productively to their community.

Some adults would like to see more emphasis placed on development outside of the textbook.

"There is no social interaction during their time at school," said Joslin Baker, a retired salesman.

"You don't have anything like 4-H and scouts, that kind of thing. The persona is not developed," he said.

He believes these types of clubs provide skills that the children can use in everyday life, thereby helping to "build the fabric of the whole society".

no place for talents

He also pointed to the lack of areas in the town where the youth can express themselves through the arts.

"When yuh have JCDC (Jamaica Cultural Development Commission) doing a thing, only di little church hall yuh have. Dem don't even know what is a real theatre," he lamented.

Baker was among a group of gentlemen 'lyming' by the fishing beach. Others pitched in, saying they wanted to see more done for the park adjoining the beach.

"A park dat?" questioned Dan, one of the older heads.

The men believe places of leisure, like the park, would help the socialisation process. But inevitably, the talk came back to education.

"The education system suspect right now," Baker opined. He is not blaming the teachers though, because "they have to work with who they get".

"The students start at a disadvantage. There's not enough of a remedial system," said Baker.

The feeling among the group is that if the socialisation with the current crop of youngsters starts early, things can be turned around in Morant Bay, and Jamaica in general.